LITM Chronicles
by FirebirdXoX
Summary: A series of one-shots that provide a look into the background of the characters of Living in the Moment. These one-shots are better understood if you've read Living in the Moment, but you don't have to to understand them. Enjoy
1. Grace

Becoming Grace

Fall was my favorite time of year. The crunch of the leaves beneath my feet as I ran. Not from anything. Not _to_ anything. Just for the sake of running.

Unfortunately; Sunyshore City isn't technically the best place to run. So naturally; I left the confines of the smog-filled city that fateful autumn morning. I enjoyed the breeze that ruffled my hair; cooling me down when the bright sun became unbearable.

I subconsciously searched the rocky outcroppings and the beach for the familiar flame-red hair. The sweetest boy in the world.

We were 15.

I continued my jog; shaking his image from my thoughts. My footsteps fell back into perfect rhythm. When the sunrise finally peaked over the water; the light was blinding. I stopped my jog and waltzed down to the beach. Dirty, holey tennis shoes lay abandoned in the sand; socks beside them. I prodded the water with my big toe; testing the temperature.

Ice cold. Perfect.

I sighed and lay down; hands folded neatly across my chest; and feet submerged in the cold, salty water.

"Alana? Are you okay?"

I kept my eyes shut and coolly responded. "No, Weston. I died about an hour ago. Thanks for asking."

I felt him plop down in the sand beside me and sigh. After a few moments of silence; he felt the need to complain.

"You know; sarcasm like that really turns most people off. You should try being nice for once."

One eye cracked open. He was leaning directly over me; tousled red hair playfully flipping back and forth in the breeze. I had to contain myself. "So if my sarcasm is so distasteful, why are you still here?"

He smiled and returned to sitting upright. "I said _most_ people. Not all."

He picked up a rock and tossed it; skipping it eight times. I sat up and picked up another rock; and tossed it, imitating his motions.

_Plop_.

I grumbled in frustration.

"You're hopeless, Alana."

He skipped another rock; as if to prove his point. I stood up and dusted the sand off my bottom. Then, I playfully kicked seawater onto him.

Soaked, he jumped up; and we were off; racing down the beach. The wet sand squished between my toes as I sped ahead of him. He may have been good at skipping rocks; but I ran faster than a Rapidash. I didn't stop until I heard Wes plop down in the sand behind me; defeated. I smugly jogged back to him.

"See? Why would you want to be able to skip rocks when you can run that fast?"

I teased. He laughed and shook his head; before rising reluctantly. "I have to go, Alana."

I looked down at the sun-baked sand beneath my feet. "Yes… I know."

Then, he surprised me, by swiftly kissing my cheek. I blushed, and he began his long trudge home. I wiped the sand off my feet and grabbed my sneakers. I waited until he was out of my sight, and then began the jog home.

I was too distracted by my tingling cheek to notice the ocean breeze. The crunch of the leaves. The bright sun. The car speeding down the road.

I failed to notice as the driver purposefully veered off their side of the road; headed straight for me. Or the fact that the driver was a man I knew all too well. I did notice; however, when it collided with me; snapping bones everywhere in my body. Then; everything went dark.

* * *

I lay in the hospital bed; staring at nothing. My legs were useless. I was told I'd never walk again unaided. No more morning jogs. I couldn't cry; my tear supply seemed to have been drained at that point. I hadn't spoken to anyone since the accident. All my broken bones had been healed; the 'accident' being months ago. I was hospitalized on the simple fact that I was depressed. I hadn't gotten out of bed since the accident except to go to physical therapy; which was mandatory.

"Alana? You have a visitor," called a nurse gently from outside the door.

I said nothing; and continued to stare blankly at nothing. It as either one of two people. My mom, or Wes.

Even he failed to interest me. He only visited because he pitied me, anyway. What would he want to do with a cripple?

"Hey, Alana. I brought you some flowers for your collection," said Wes as he tip-toed in.

My eyes temporarily shifted to the table; filled with the baskets of rainbow-colored flowers Wes brought me every time he visited me. So I got new floral arrangement at _least_ every other day. He sat on the edge of my bed; like always.

"So… anything interesting on TV?"

My eyes rested on the bland white wall. He sighed and drummed his fingers on his leg. He abruptly stood up.

"Damnit, Alana; stop feeling sorry for yourself! You can't just lie here in bed and waste away! I won't have it. I won't let you."

I stiffened; jaw clenched. I had never seen him like this. Had he lost his patience with me after all this time? Would he leave me now; never visiting again?

My eyes burned; my only way to cry. I gripped my bed sheet tightly in my fist. He seemed to notice this; and sighed sadly.

"Get dressed. I'll be back in five minutes. By Mew; we're going somewhere today. I'm getting you out of that fucking bed if I have to drag you."

He shut the door; leaving me with the task of shrugging on an abandoned pair of running shorts. I considered not doing it; but his visits were the only real things I looked forward to. Wes re-entered five minutes later; as promised.

"You dressed?" he asked.

I threw back the covers to reveal the faded red shorts. He nodded. "Good. Now get out of bed and grab your walker. You need to do some stuff by yourself."

Infuriated he ordered me around like a baby; I slammed my hands onto the walker and swung out of bed; eyes glaring at him. His expression was emotionless; his face masked by determination. I slowly rose to my feet and began shuffling forward. This would be a long, long walk.

We walked far out of Sunyshore; out on my old jogging trail. I whimpered when we passed the accident sight. He was taking me to the beach. When my walker became stuck in the sand, I hit it angrily. Wes silently scooped me up in his arms; and we continued to the water's edge. He gently set me down on the beach. I shivered.

How I hate the ocean now. I loathe it.

The water laps up against different shores every day. Water has no limit to where it goes. To the bottom of the ocean. A wave crashing down on a forgotten island. Evaporation; causing it to rain and spreading it out across the world. Perhaps that's why I hated it the most.

_No limits_.

So… the question that rang through my head was _why_? Why had he brought me here; today of all days?

"Alana… please talk to me. I need to know you're still in there."

When I didn't answer, he skipped a rock across the water, though he messed up; a wave was coming in. The rock skipped once, and then made a telltale _plop_.

We were silent for a while; which unnerved me slightly, though I'm not sure why. When he spoke again; it was spoken wistfully.

"Alana; do you know why I brought you here today?"

I surprised him by shaking my head no. That was more than I had done in a long time.

He cleared his throat, and then continued. "I guess I just wanted to make today special; that's all. You only have your 16th birthday once, after all."

Realization struck me like a blow to the head. For the first time in months; I broke down sobbing. Tears flowed freely as I wept for the loss of my mobility, freedom, and for the wasted months. Wes cradled me in his arms.

"I'm sorry… I'm just so sorry, Alana. I didn't know you had forgotten. Please; stop crying," he pleaded.

He held me tight for hours; until dusk. My tears ceased to fall as we watched the sun set on the ocean; brilliant purples, pinks, and yellows streaking majestically across the sky and reflecting against the water. Wes gently kissed the top of my head.

"Happy Birthday, Alana."

I snuggled closer. "I love you, Weston."

He faced me; awestruck, and then we kissed. When the sunset had faded and the moon had claimed the sky; Wes took my hand and gently pressed a flat rock into my palm.

"Want to learn how to skip a rock?"

* * *

**A/N: So; there you have it. Grace's story. Yes; a sad one... but life isn't always perfect.**

**Now to fill in some plot-holes that I just didn't feel like putting in this one-shot. It would dampen the effect.**

**In LITM; Wes says he can't remember ever giving his heart to another girl. This is because; when Alana died and was told by Giratina she could be brought back; she was allowed to become Wes's partner on the condition that he would not remember anything about her. She accepted because she wanted to ease his pain of her passing. Make sense? (:**

**LITM Chronicles have been a long time coming; it was hard to decide who to do first. Since Grace the Vulpix is not a favorite among the group; I wanted to give her some background. **

**LITM Chronicles will not be updated on a schedule; so if you read LITM and want to know of the characters pasts I would Story Alert this. **

**As always: reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	2. Wes

Faded Memories:

"Name?"

When he got no answer, the man looked up. _"Name,"_ he repeated; easily annoyed.

The boy in question shuffled his feet nervously, and then mumbled, "...Nate."

The black-clad Admin scrawled down the given name and waited impatiently for the rest. When nothing else came, he sighed heavily again.

"You got a last name, _Nate_?" he sneered.

The boy avoided eye contact. "No sir."

Exasperated, the Admin slammed his clipboard down. "Listen, kid, being a smart ass won't get you far in this business."

_Hasn't stopped you,_ thought the boy irritably to himself.

"I still ain't got none. I'm from a small southern town down by Solaceon. Ain't got no last name."

The thick southern drawl made the Rocket Admin stifle laughter. It was terribly fake. This boy was anything _but_ southern. He ignored it, though. If the boy had something to hide; it was none of his business. He couldn't care less anyhow.

"Well, can you tell me how old you are, Nate? Or do you lack a birthday as well?"

The boy's eyes hardened at the snide remark. "Turn 20 next month."

The Rocket Admin frowned. Now _that_ was a bold-faced lie. This kid was way, way younger than that. But once again; it didn't matter whether or not the kid was a minor. He'd end up dead of his own accord; unless he was smart.

"Got any Pokemon? Or do we need to supply you with one?"

The boy shook his head, and then pulled out a Pokemon Egg incubator. The egg inside was a deep, scarlet brown color; and had six large swirls in the pattern.

"I found this egg a few days ago. Whatever hatches from it; that's my Pokemon. It glowed for two hours yesterday. It won't be long now."

The Admin was too busy scribbling down information to notice the boy had faltered in his disguise; the heavy accent had temporarily vanished. The boy sighed and shifted around; sick of standing and being grilled for information. How could he have known you had to _apply_ to become a member of Team Rocket?

Noticing the impatience that radiated from the kid; the Admin growled, "Stand still, boy. I just have one more question before you sign paperwork. Tell me; what motivated you to join?"

Taken aback by the outright question, the boy stammered. "Uh... well, I guess... just 'cause," he said; though it came out sounded more like a question.

As the writing ceased and the ball-point pen clicked shut in finality; the boy sighed with relief. The interview closed; he was handed a thick contract on top of a faded black outfit. The door was slammed shut; and he was alone. The boy traced the swirls on his Pokemon Egg; wondering what it would be like.

Would it hate him for being involved in this organization? Would it relish the life of crime this would bring on?

"Who are you in there?" he whispered silently.

He continued absentmindedly tracing the swirls, though his thoughts traveled elsewhere. Back to Sunyshore.

Back to the day he lost it all...

* * *

Apartment 2A was less than undesirable. Rattata freely roamed the halls of the apartment complex; and the majority of the residents were either too drunk to give a shit or too poor to have a choice. The young boy living in 2A was of the poor type. Yet; he rarely left it. Only to buy food, go to work, and to visit her.

On that fateful day; he had just returned from his late-night shift at the Poke Mart. Wes set his things down on the rickety table and plopped down on his ragged sofa. He cracked open a can of soda and took three long draughts, before wiping his mouth on the back of his arm and turning on the tiny radio alarm-clock. He sat there for the longest time; staring at the wall and listening to the music, pretending he had a flat-screen TV, a hot tub, and a toilet that functioned properly.

_"Coming up, on this news udate; we'll have the Police reports and then following, live coverage of the first annual Midnight Murkrow Festival in Hearthome City. Coming up soon, after these messages from our sponsors. Don't touch that dial." _

When the crackling voice had faded and the advertisements came on, Wes stood up and yawned; stretching lazily. He decided he would stay up long enough to here the police report. Then; he needed to sleep. He had promised to take Alana to the zoo tomorrow before his night shift. He sat back down at the thought of her. Sweet, sweet Alana. How he loved her. It made no difference to him that she was a cripple. None whatsoever.

He took another swig of his soda and sighed; absentmindedly listening to the various advertisements.

_"Welcome back to KMIZ radio, I'm your host; Vince Wallace. And here's tonight's police report... there was a robbery on Morris Street this morning at the Deli Shop. Both suspects were taken into custody, and no one was injured. A three-car crash occurred this afternoon on the overhead highway. Two are in stable condition and one is labeled in critical condition. And... this just in. About twenty minutes ago; a rape and murder occurred in downtown... suspect is still at large. Be careful, folks. This guy is armed and dangerous.... And now, we go live to the fir-" _

Vince Wallace was cut off as Wes clicked off the radio; yawning loudly. He crushed his empty soda can and threw it into the trash can. Wes stretched out onto the couch; and fell asleep easily, dreaming about moonlit carnivals dedicated to Murkrow. He hadn't been asleep five minutes when the shrill ringing of the telephone jarred him awake. He groggily strode to the phone; rubbing his eyes tiredly.

It was probably his step-father; begging Wes to return home. _Fat chance you dumb bastard._

"Hullo?" mumbled Wes, mid-yawn.

"W-Weston?"

Surprised Alana's mother would call him at midnight, he stuttered. "Uh... y-yeah? What's... up?" he said; nervously stumbling over his words. This was awkward.

He could make out her muffled sobs; and then it hit him. "Ma'am? What's wrong! Where's Alana!"

The woman on the other line was unable to compose herself. "My baby... my baby... she's gone. She's all gone," she moaned.

Wes felt like he had taken a blow to the chest. The phone line clicked dead as he slammed it onto the table. He grabbed his coat and ran out the door; letting it swing loosely on its hinges. This couldn't be happening. Not to Alana. Not to him. He needed her...

He ran all the way to the medium-sized house. A path he knew by heart. He cautiously entered the house and walked into her old room. The haggard woman screaming erratically at the ceiling never noticed his presence. Tears streamed down the young boy's face; burning hot and salty. He knelt next to the sorrowful woman; and began moaning loud sobs that soon matched her own.

~o0o~

The ocean breeze chilled Wes to the bone. He stood in the half-circle of solemn-faced mourners. They were all dressed in black; veils shadowing the face of the women that wept. Alana's mother was among them; though her face was rigid, void of emotion. Wes stepped forward; and lifted the small jar he had been cradling. The breeze turned to an assailing wind; greedily wanting to claim her ashes for itself. Tears streamed down Wes's face as he opened the lid. When the wind changed direction and began blowing out to sea; he scattered the ashes.

The wind easily carried them to the water; and the waves roared as they crashed down. Mournful sobs became audible behind him; and Wes fell to his knees; blinded by his burning eyes.

"Now, you have nothing to be envious of. You will travel where the water does, Alana." He choked on his own words.

"No more limits," he whispered, before breaking out into wracking sobs.

The crowd dispersed; no one moving to comfort him. He lay there on the sand; rocking back and forth. 

_No more limits._

_

* * *

_Remembering brought back pain. The intense grief Wes harbored for her ate him up; and he clung tightly to his egg as he continued stroking the faded black material. The man who had done this to Alana was in prison. But that wasn't enough. If he was a member of Team Rocket... perhaps he could get into the facility. He wanted nothing more than to steal the man away; and torture him endlessly. Drag out his death into months. 

_But will you be satisfied even then?_

Wes ignored the voice of common sense that rang through his head. He hugged the scarlet egg tighter to his chest.

"Of course I will. All I want is for that fucking son-of-a-bitch to get what he deserves. And _I_ want to be the one to give it to him."

The voice in his head snorted. _The only thing keeping us alive, Weston, is the prospect of revenge. That's what it has come to. After you gain it; what other goals do you possess? None. When you kill that man, you will lose your will to live. _

Wes; distracted by his emotions, quickly signed the contract. 

_Is this what you really want? _

"Of course," he snarled. The contradicting voice ceased to exist; and Wes decidedly stood up. The Rocket Admin from before returned shortly after and collected the paper.

"Get changed, and then meet me back here. I'll show you around," growled the man; obviously not pleased 'Nate' was going through with it.

Wes methodically tugged on the black uniform; anticipation rising in his shattered heart. He was looking himself over in the mirror, when he heard a loud popping sound. He looked around; but then shook his head. He turned back to the mirror, and this time caught sight of his egg in the mirror. 

_Pop. Tap... tap, tap. POP! _

He whirled; and realized what was happening. He rushed to the cracking egg; and caught the tiny young creature that tumbled out. He quickly grabbed his discarded t-shirt to begin drying it off. The shaking, chilled little canine cried out hungrily; single snow-white tail swishing back and forth irritatedly.

"It's okay, hush, little girl," cooed Wes after confirming her gender.

"I'll take care of you, I promise."

He cradled the tiny fire-fox; stroking her damp, velvety fur.

_Vul, Vul._

The first smile since Alana's death graced his lips. He flipped the soothed Vulpix over so he could get a better look at her precious face. But something happened when their eyes locked...

~o0o~

The Rocket Admin raised an eyebrow when Nate walked out; cradling a newborn Vulpix. The sadness that had darkened the youngster's expression before seemed to have evaporated completely. In fact; he began to act his age.

"You know... I remember wanting to join Team Rocket... but I can't seem to remember why."

The Vulpix looked up at him in what appeared to be a wistful manner, and then slowly licked his chin. The Rocket Admin sneered.

"No reason... just, 'cause."

* * *

** A/N: There you have it. Wes's story. In case you didn't understand the last part; once Grace/Alana was born and locked eyes with him... Giratina's deal took effect and he completely forgot Alana existed. And about his motive to join Team Rocket. So why does he stay?? The contract is binding. **

**As for the description of Grace at birth; Vulpix are born with a single white tail, that splits into the six brown ones as it ages. **

**I still like the first one-shot better; but I felt I should explain _why_ Wes had joined Team Rocket. As he goes along; he figures out that Team Rocket is out to conquer the world; killing people and Pokemon alike on the way. He and Grace run away later on.**

**I hope this helps clear up a bit of Wes's past so that you know where he's coming from.**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby  
**


	3. Tyson

**A/N: As determined in the poll, here's a glimpse of Tyson's past. (: After reading this, check out the new poll with new options for the next character to be featured here.**

* * *

Falling Headfirst:

The Aerodactyl lazily drifted in the afternoon sunlight, and scanned the valley below. A herd of Tropius lumbered along, bold for walking out into the open. A Kabutops crept from the banks of a small pond, its polished scythes sending shivers down the spine of the flying dragoness. Unable to take in the entire valley in one glance, the Aerodactyl flipped easily in the air and swooped downward. She landed where the Kabutops had been moments before, and folded her wings stiffly to her side.

Prominent under bite, glistening fangs, and blood caked tail warned the inhabitants of the pond to avoid the dragoness. She smugly dipped her gaping jaws into the water, scooped up an unlucky Relicanth, and mashed it with her mighty jaw muscles. The remaining Relicanth, Omanyte, Kabuto, and Anorith fled from the bloodshed, causing the water to ripple.

The Relicanth anything but satisfying, and the others out of reach, she plunged her spear-like tail into the murky water, impaling a particularly large Anorith. She flung it off her tail into the air, and gulped it down greedily in midair. Hunger satisfied, she flapped her mighty wings four times before perching on a ridge on the mountain.

She licked clean her bloody tail, preening absentmindedly as she watched the herd of Tropius hesitate at the entrance to the mountain cave. Their reasoning became all too clear when they scattered back towards the valley, bellowing their fool heads off. She cocked her head to the side when a large Sceptile emerged from the mouth of the cave.

It mocked her actions by licking a dark red liquid from its arm spikes, before charging the disoriented herd of Tropius at remarkable speed. A young Tropius calf soon fell prey to the raptor-like Sceptile, whom feasted greedily on it, and successfully ignored a wailing parent.

"He's an assassin," murmured a voice directly next to her.

She whirled to see her mate staring, with an indiscernible expression, at the carnage taking place below. In alarm, she had raised her wings in case she needed to abruptly flee, but when she knew it was her love she again folded them neatly to her side.

"Assassin?" she asked, though the flat tone of her voice betrayed her feigned interest. Luther, her mate, had always been concerned with fickle political affairs and fairness, neither of which she gave a Rattata's ass about. You live, you eat, you sleep, you shit, you die. Thus was the philosophy of Luther's mate.

Luther cleared his throat, "That calf's mother was a Tropius. Father was a Meganium. Therefore, he was illegitimate, and Groudon ordered him killed."

The mention of Groudon made her tense slightly. The enormous beast ruled the prehistoric valley, and the mountain. It was he whom had created land, after all. She opened her mouth to reply, but became interested once more in the Sceptile whom was casually, and might I add agilely, ascending the mountain and heading straight for them. The female Aerodactyl might have been a touch cold-hearted, but certainly not stupid.

"Should we relocate, Luther?" she asked uneasily.

He shook his head. "No. See there; he's focused on something at the top of the mountain. He would have been more stealthy and snuck up on us if he wanted to fight us… Besides that fact, any brood we _did_ have wouldn't be illegitimate…"

He paused and let his words linger as they watched the Sceptile leap gracefully onto a bluff.

"So… what is it then?" she asked, settling down as her mate soothed her.

Luther watched a moment longer, before shaking off a chill and moving closer to his mate.

"Looking for his next victim."

* * *

_2 months earlier..._

"Look, Abigail. He's waking up," boomed a voice from above the nest.

"Roderick, hush," she chided with a hiss. "You're scaring him."

Two bulbous red eyes blinked in confusion. The baby Cranidos sat upright, and then examined where he was laying. The nest had been crudely made; twigs, leaves, and pine needles forming a semi-comfortable oval shape. Tiny fragments of eggshell crunched beneath the feet of the mother Rampardos as she scooped her newborn up and cradled him lovingly. Her mate grinned widely at the proud sight, and puffed out his rocky chest as he tapped the cranium of his son with a single claw.

"He's got his mother's hard head," mumbled Roderick amusedly with a short chuckle.

Abigail rolled her eyes in fake exasperation. "What should we name him, Roddy?"

The little tyrant in her arms squirmed agitatedly, and cried out weakly.

"Rex," said her mate simply, and without the slightest hesitation.

She groaned inwardly. Originality was not his thing.

"Fine, then. Welcome to the world, Rex!"

The Cranidos whimpered in reply. The two parents coddled him a few moments more, before they came to the realization the herd had probably missed them by then. Abigail brushed up against Roderick, showing her affection as well as a temporary goodbye.

Roderick blushed at this; his thick green hide temporarily tinted a rosy pnk. The Tyranitar wistfully watched as the Rampardos he loved left with a part of him in her arms. He sighed heavily, and then headed back to his own herd. Parting from her had always been difficult, but this was ridiculous.

~o0o~

By the time they had rejoined the herd near the top of the mountain, her son was able to take a few tentative steps of his own, before giggling as he tumbled to the ground. The herd of Rampardos were not fazed by the arrival of a newborn; many of their kind left to lay their eggs. Although Rampardos normally resided in forests, overpopulation had driven this herd up the mountain. Abigail settled down into an abandoned nest, baby at her side. She fell into a deep slumber, with a contented smile on her face.

* * *

_2 months later..._

Abigail watched proudly as the young Cranidos from the herd raced. Rex was in last place, but she was proud nonetheless.

"Go honey, go! You can catch them!" she hollered.

She then glanced nonchalantly at the sparse pine forest to her right. A clawed green hand gave her a thumbs up, and she smiled wistfully. He had come.

Rex, unaware his father was present, finished in last place. So, perhaps speed wasn't his thing.

"Let's have a head butting contest!" suggested the winner of the race, eager to win once again.

Rex grinned; this was where he excelled. The five Cranidos headed for a pine tree to head butt, and Abigail sadly watched her beloved Tyranitar disappear.

As they began head butting the trees, Abigail felt someone sidle up next to her. A chill ran down her spine as she turned to face the Sceptile next to her.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" chirped the raptor, smile glinting sinisterly in the afternoon sunlight.

Abigail relaxed, however. He seemed nice enough. "That it is. And what brings you to the Rampardos side of the mountain?"

The Sceptile tensed slightly. "I was sent by someone important," he said dismissively, before continuing. "Say, isn't your mate a Tyranitar?"

Abigail's eyes widened; her love life was exclusive as far as she had known. Noticing the suspicion rising in the eyes of the giant beast, the Sceptile came from a different approach.

"It's okay, my mate is a Kabutops."

Abigail calmed immediately, though spoke in a hushed tone. "Yes, he is. But how did you find out?"

His eyes flashed, but his voice was controlled when he answered her. "Lucky guess, I suppose. It's a good thing he isn't anywhere near here, however. Groudon was looking to kill off the Tyranitar species entirely. Says they're getting too powerful for their own good."

The Rampardos gasped in shock. "I have to warn Roderick! Rex, come here now! We must go-"

The Sceptile grabbed her arm, and smiled persuasively at her. "Don't worry. I feel a connection with you, due to our similar situations. I'll watch Rex, and you go save your mate. Hurry along, now."

Abigail hesitated, but then thought of her mate. She graciously thanked him, and then charged off in the direction of her love. The Sceptile waited until she was out of sight, before turning to face the Cranidos she had addressed with narrowed eyes.

"Rex," he chirped.

The young Cranidos swiveled his head to meet the eyes of the Sceptile, and then trotted over.

"Your mother left me in charge of you," he said, "and so you need to follow me. Come with me please, now."

Innocence bursting forth from the tiny dinosaur-like Pokémon caused him to eagerly nod his head; oblivious to the fact he would be leaving the group to follow a strange raptor. When they were out of earshot from the herd, the Sceptile's demeanor changed entirely, his caring façade evaporating in a spilt second.

He slashed the young Cranidos with an arm spike, and smirked at the squealing Cranidos.

Rex whimpered. "Why did you hurt me?" he asked, disbelief ringing through his voice.

The killer Sceptile was unfazed. "You are illegitimate. Your kind disgusts me, and my master. Therefore, we will kill you off."

Rex began wailing; his cries piercing the air. The Sceptile kicked him. "Run, little bitch. Run for your life. I enjoy catching my prey," he hissed.

Rex rose shakily to his feet, and dashed in the direction of the bluff. His attempts were futile, though, and the Sceptile found he was too slow for his liking. He began firing Bullet Seeds at the feet of the panting Cranidos, to motivate him to move faster. This inspired the Cranidos, who bolted away from the slightly surprised Sceptile.

His sprint was a blind one; tears obscuring his vision and blood pounding loudly in his ears.

So he naturally didn't notice the shadow that glided across the ground. Or the bellowing roar that made the Sceptile stop in his tracks. The snapping of bones. The prominent overbite that destroyed the assassin.

Or that the bluff was all too near. He could have stopped running, dear reader. The Aerodactyl had given him that option by murdering the Sceptile. But the young Pokémon was blind with terror.

Perhaps it was a blessing he didn't know that he was plummeting to the ground at an alarming rate. Or that the second Aerodactyl failed to save him; the claws on his wings not able to grasp him in midair. Or that he took the impact directly to the head; shattering his neck and jostling his under-developed brain.

One thing we can be sure of, however, is that it was a blessing he did not hear the haunting sobs his parents emitted, as they found his mangled body at the bottom of the mountain that summer afternoon.

* * *

**A/N: Keep in mind, this took place millions of years ago, so none of these characters, other than Rex (aka Tyson), will ever appear in Living in the Moment. **

**Poor guy was pretty young when he died and slowly became a fossil, but it explains his slight immaturity in the present. The fall that jarred his neck was somewhat sustained through his fossilization, which is why when Tyson rams into anything hard, he begins speaking in third person, and only getting hit again can snap him out of it. Make sense? (:**

**Well, don't forget to check out the poll and vote for who's past you want to see next! Oh, and please review. Please...**

**~Shelby**


	4. Kenya

**A/N: By popular demand, we have Kenya's past. Kenya's one of my favorite characters, and I truly think this is the best one-shot so far. I don't think you'll be dissapointed!**

* * *

Of Kenya: A Mother's Love

Jon Kramer eased open the door to the Pokémon Daycare and scowled at the cheery old woman at the reception desk. He sauntered up to her and glared.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm here to pick up my Luxray. She was supposed to be bred," he snapped irritably as he dug through his wallet for the payment.

Thunder rumbled; rattling the building and causing him to jump.

Jon cursed, and hastily picked up his wallet that had fallen to the cold tile floor. The lady regarded him carefully. "That'll be three hundred dollars."

He gaped at her. "Three bills just to get a Pokémon _laid?_"

She recoiled at his harsh tone, and then her amiable expression hardened to match his own. "Young man; we had to treat your Pokémon for numbers of ailments. So unless you want to be reported for Pokémon abuse, I suggest you pay up or get out."

He slammed the money onto the counter, and then stomped through the door to her left. _Stupid bitch._

~o0o~

Luxray had seen him coming with her x-ray vision. Her eyes lost their golden luster, and she anxiously looked down at her brood. A single Shinx kit suckled on her, and mewled helplessly when she picked it up by the scruff and frantically looked around for options. The dark clouds that loomed overhead suppressed her; increasing her sense of urgency.

The Pokémon in the daycare surrounding her all turned their backs. She had many scars, a crooked tail, and missing tufts of fur. Although none of these factors were of her control, they shunned her.

Luxray heard his first footsteps on the lush grass. She had to act quickly. She ran to the back fence, and nudged the kit underneath.

"I love you, little one," she cried in a choked voice, "and that is why I must leave you behind."

It cried out weakly, and she managed to cover it with a leaf before he was behind her. Luxray jumped at his voice, and by some miracle the kit stayed silent.

"Don't you have a baby yet, Luxray? What the hell!"

He angrily surveyed the other Pokémon. A large Arcanine was snoozing beside the pond. It belonged to the daycare couple; and he had paid to have it breed with Luxray. He cursed and spat on the ground.

"C'mon you infertile piece of shit. I'll beat a baby out of ya."

His Luxray whimpered as it was recalled into the red and white sphere that held her captive; and would forever wonder what became of her kit, if anything at all.

* * *

The ominous clouds sputtered, and an unpleasant drizzle befell Solaceon Town.

Viola smiled as she trudged along; pleased with the plume that adorned her head; the giant petals acting as a natural umbrella against the impending downpour. She took another bite from the apple she was devouring as she strolled along the outskirts of town; homebound after two years of searching for a Leaf Stone.

Thunder boomed overhead, and lightning cracked the darkness; lighting up the suddenly dark and gloomy world. A muffled, high-pitched noise came from somewhere near; but the pouring rain prevented the Vileplume from hearing anything more. She hummed to herself as she took a final bite from her apple, before tossing the core aside.

_Thunk. _

Viola paused; hearing the high-pitched noise again. Nature seemed to feel merciful; and the rain lessened its roar. Viola wobbled over to the apple core, and it was there she found the kit; mewling, wet, and shivering. Maternal instinct overtook her, and the Vileplume cradled the kit in her arms. The automatic shield from the pelting rain seemed to calm the kit, and it immediately silenced.

"Hello there, little one," cooed the Vileplume as she stroked the kit gently. "What are you doing out here all alone?"

A Noctowl hooted irritably from inside a hollow tree; the sound echoing ominously around Viola and her company. The kit's lower lip quivered, and it began crying softly. Its caretaker shushed it softly, and then sprinkled a sparkling green dust onto the kit's nose. It sneezed in an adorable fashion, and then fell into a deep, peaceful slumber.

Viola wiped her brow in relief, and then continued on her way home. Never in her many years of existence, had she ever expected to have a child to care for.

~o0o~

"Angel, please stop that," she chided nearly three weeks later.

The kit paused from chasing a particularly frightened Caterpie, and then trotted over to her adoptive mother. "Why, mommy? I wasn't hurtin' it…"

Viola sighed, and turned to face the Shinx. When she saw the sad expression on the kit's face, her hardened façade melted as ice exposed to a flame.

"Angel, you should never harm, nor scare, any living creature unless forced to protect yourself. Do you understand?"

The kit's lip quivered, and she nodded morosely. "Yes, mommy. I promise I won't, ever again."

Viola smiled wistfully as her child bounded after a Butterfree, the entire time chanting, "I don't want to hurt you, preeetty butterfly! I just want to give you a hug!"

The Vileplume shook her head, chuckling. "Come along, Angel. We're close to my old nest; and then you can play all you want!"

The Shinx whirled, and pranced alongside Viola compliantly. Nostalgia emanated from the giant, ruby colored petals that protruded from her head. Angel cocked her head to the side at the Sweet Scent that wafted from them. "You smell yummy, momma!"

Viola let out a short laugh as she crawled over a fallen tree. "That's called Sweet Scent, Angel. It happens when I'm really happy, and it allows others to be happy, too. Always try to be happy, Angel. No matter what happens."

Viola grunted as she landed on the other side; her stubby legs shaking from the effort. Angel clumsily scrambled over the log, and jumped on top of the ruby petals. She curled up into a ball, and then stretched lazily; inhaling the intoxicating aroma. "Oh. Okay, I promise, mommy," she purred, stifling a yawn. "But, why should I always be happy? Isn't it okay to be angry, or sad?"

Viola's eyes flashed with hurt as she recalled her painful past. "Of course, Angel. Such emotions are normal. But if you are always angry, or always sad; you can never make other creatures happy."

Viola smiled softly as a Pachirisu happily crept into view, intoxicated by the Sweet Scent. "And making others happy, is the best purpose a creature could ever serve."

Angel's eyes widened. "Okay, mommy! I understand now!"

Viola smiled wistfully for the second time that afternoon. Her sensitive petals felt the tiny kit tense suddenly; and she imagined the Shinx's eyes clenched tightly shut.

"Angel? What's wrong, darling?"

"Concentrating," grunted the kit.

Viola chuckled, "What on, may I ask?"

"I'm happy right now. Mommy, I want to make the sweet-smelling smell come out of me, too. So _I_ can make others happy, too!"

A single tear obscured Viola's vision as she pushed aside a tangled vine and revealed her old nest. The purity, sincerity, and innocence of that kit never ceased to amaze her.

"Angel, darling; you are an electric-type. The only scents you can excrete are from when you are in heat, and when you break wind."

Viola gently tilted her head, and the Shinx crinkled her nose as she slid off the Vileplume's head. "…Oh."

Angel plopped down on the old, ravaged nest, and sighed dejectedly. Viola worriedly stroked her head. "Angel, what's wrong now?"

"I don't have anyway to make others happy!" sobbed the young Shinx.

Viola cradled the kit in her navy blue arms, and shushed her. "Nonsense. You have that beautiful, electric smile of yours."

Angel sighed and inhaled deeply. "Everyone can smile. I just wanted to be able to do something special. I want to be able to make _them_ smile. I want to be like you."

Viola rocked the Shinx gently, and kissed her forehead gently; desperately trying to come up with a way to qualm her worries. How could she tell the kit that it really had nothing to do with Sweet Scent, at all? That the best way to make others happy was simply to show you cared?

"Angel, now you listen to me. Your loving, kind heart will never fail to make others happy," she paused as she groped for something, _anything_ to wipe the doubt away from the frowning kit, "but if you ever feel that someone needs more than a loving word, or a pat on the back… you can always sing," finished the Vileplume softly.

She kissed Angel's forehead, and then sat her down on the musty pile of leaves she had once called home. "Mommy? How do you _sing_?"

Viola was a little startled by the question, and stumbled over her words. "Well, honey, you just speak melodically."

Angel tilted her head to the side in confusion. Viola cleared her throat, and began singing 'You Are My Sunshine'. Angel's jaw dropped in amazement. The sound that flowed effortlessly from her adoptive mother's throat astounded her, and she began to sway with the music. A Kricketune appeared into view, and began rubbing its wings together to add to the melody. The magic was captured in the Shinx's heart forever, as tears were brought to her eyes. "Teach me how, mommy."

Viola lovingly taught Angel to sing, and they practiced and learned together for the next three days. It was the happiest time of the Shinx's entire life. Unfortunately, she inhabited a cruel world. One that will not allow everything to be perfect all the time. Or hardly ever, for that matter.

* * *

She awoke with a start, and was surprised to see her fur dazzling a bright yellow color. She illuminated the underside of Viola's giant petals; ruining the pleasant shade that shielded them from the morning sun, and allowed them to sleep in. Hoping to not awaken her mother, she tried to cover up her fur with the surrounding leaves. Not succeeding, she ignored her fur that glowed with electric energy, and the dark feeling that had settled in her stomach.

She was just on the brink of sleep, when a rustling sound overhead disturbed her. Her fur began to blind her as it glowed ever brighter.

"Mommy…? Can you wake up, please? I'm scared," whispered the tiny Shinx.

Viola stirred, and yawned. "What is it, Angel?" she mumbled drowsily.

The Shinx lifted her gaze to rest on the row of eyes, eight of them, that gleamed at her. "Birdies."

The smallest of the four, a Starly, flapped down and landed in front of Viola. "Hey, Talon! There's a kit down here. Will that work?"

Feathers ruffled, as the leader gave an affirmative nod. Viola frowned at the bird. "And just what do you want with my little Angel?" she demanded.

Angel's fur glowed ever brighter; the dazzling display frightening Viola even more. _Shinx fur glows brightly when they are in grave danger._

The Starly hopped over and pecked Angel on the head, and she promptly began crying. "Why, for breakfast, of course. You understand, I'm sure."

He pecked her again, and was immediately blasted by an Acid attack. The Starly screeched in pain, and writhed on the ground as his feathers were charred off his body, and the smell of burnt flesh permeated the air. Angel turned to face her mother, whose eyes were filled with terror, hatred, and haunting memories. "Angel, darling, run!"

The three other birds glided down, cawing as they mercilessly attacked Viola. She retaliated with Acid, and they squalled in agony. Angel took three steps away, and then leapt at one of her mother's attackers; the injured Starly. "Don't hurt my mommy! She never hurt you!"

She tackled the bird and began smacking him with her tail. He raked her side with his claws, and she shrieked in pain. Two navy blue arms snaked out and quickly snapped the tiny bird's neck. It slithered to the ground, just as the leader of the birds slammed into the Vileplume, and ripped her beautiful, ruby petals to shreds.

Angel's vision blurred with tears as Viola fell to the ground; bloodied and gasping.

"… should get reinforcements." And suddenly, the birds were no longer there.

"Mommy?" whimpered the Shinx tentatively as she prodded the dying Vileplume with a blue paw.

"I love you, Angel," she rasped, "remember everything I've taught you, darling."

She spluttered, and hacked up saliva mixed with blood. Her dimming eyes flicked upwards as she heard the fluttering of multiple wings.

She closed her eyes and sighed, "It's time to be a big girl, now. Goodbye, my sweet Angel."

Her body relaxed, and her last breath raggedly escaped. The now nameless Shinx did the only thing she could do, and took off like a bullet.

She made it to the edge of the forest before they caught her.

They toyed with her; pecking her slowly to death. She collapsed in a patch of grass, and the Staraptor flung her into the air. She landed with a thud, and thought she heard faint voices.

Then, darkness.

~o0o~

She should have been frightened by the bleeping machine. The humans that murmured over her limp body. But she was away from the birds. And the machine gave her the same feeling as Viola's Sweet Scent.

Bliss.

Then, she was down from the machine, and encountered the one that had saved her life. She remembered her promise to her mother, and tried to be nice to him.

He did not reciprocate.

The promise triggered horrid memories of her mother's final moments, and they overwhelmed her. The nice human said something, but all the nameless Shinx could focus on was burying the bad emotions. So, without another word, she masked her face with playfulness, and took off running, intending to play.

The grumpy canine named Shadow followed her, and when he caught her, she couldn't pretend any longer. Her heart thumping with dull grief, she found herself growling the word 'revenge'. His expression immediately softened, and his compassion was obvious as he gently pressed his snout against her aching side, and spoke the magic words.

"Tag, you're it!"

* * *

**A/N: And there you have it. A one-shot showing innocence, angst, and the power of a promise. I hope this did Kenya justice. ;)**

**I'm going to hold off from LITM Chronicles for a while. There will be a poll, but not about this for a while. Please review, and let me know what you think about Kenya's story!**

**Until next one-shot,**

**~Shelby**


	5. Claire

**A/N: Here you are; Claire's background. Enjoy~**

* * *

Of Claire: 

Left Behind

The white haired, elderly man glanced up from his paperwork as the doorbell jingled. He grumbled as he pushed himself up from the desk; knees wobbling slightly from the effort.

"Coming," he said curtly as he shuffled over.

The three impatient children outside his door couldn't hear him though, and one made the mistake of ringing the doorbell once again.

"I'M COMING DAMNIT!" yelled the Professor irritably.

The chatter outside the door was hushed immediately, and he smirked with satisfaction.

"Showed those little brats, didn't I?" he mumbled to himself as he opened the door to reveal three preteen children.

The first was tall; with spiked black hair. His olive skin was in high contrast to the short, pale boy standing to his left. Tousled sandy hair topped his head, and his eyes were a dark green. And then, there was the girl. She was average height, with straight red hair cascading down to her mid-back. Her overly-enthusiastic grin made Samuel Oak frown.

"Welcome to my lab," he began, "I assume you three are here for your starters?"

The trio nodded eagerly, exitement emanating from them. Oak sighed knowingly, and then motioned for the to follow him. It was a routine he went through much too often during late summer; when most young Kanto trainers came by for their starters. He opened the first door on the left, and revealed a small indoor garden. Two Squirtle, four Bulbasaur, and one Charmander glanced up at him. The blonde-headed boy yelped, and then ran and dove for a Bulbasaur. _Saur!_ protested the tiny creature, before eventually hugging the boy back with a vine.

"Hiya, Bulbasaur, my name is Kenny. We're going to be best friends!" he said dotingly.

Oak couldn't help but smile. The kid obviously loved Pokemon. Albeit overzealous, he would at least be kind to his Bulbasaur.

The tall, lanky boy went next. Without hesitation, he walked over and picked up a Squirtle. Although not as emotional as Kenny, he still seemed to be thrilled with the tiny blue turtle that squirmed in his arms. He hugged it tight, and then whispered something inaudible. Whatever it was, the Squirtle chirped with joy.

Next, the youngest of the three tugged on Oak's sleeve.

"Are there any girls?" she asked hopefully.

Oak nodded, "Yes. The Bulbasaur Kenny took, the other Squirtle, and the Charmander are all female."

She frowned, "Oh. Which one's a Squirtle, again? Because I _really_ want the kind that Kenny has."

"Girls are so stupid!" snapped the tall boy with the Squirtle, "How can you not tell a difference!?"

Oak shot him a stern look, and then pointed to the blue turtle in his arms. Connie grimaced, and then looked at the Charmander that was glaring back at her with equal disdain.

"I'll take that one," she sighed sadly.

But she didn't embrace it, or even acknowledge it, for that matter. She instead grabbed the Poke Ball from Oak's hand, and recalled the fire lizard. Professor Oak eyed her warily, before handing the three their Pokedex's, giving them the usual speech, and then ushering them out the door.

He shut it slowly behind them, and then he slumped up against the door. Rubbing his temples, he walked over to his desk and reached for the bottle of asprin.

* * *

"What the heck, Charmander? I told you to use Fire Blast!"

The Charmander panted, and desperately tried once again to muster up a fire-attack. The Pikachu she was battling showed no remorse as it tackled her; using Thundershock.

"It's pretty pathetic your trainer doesn't even know any of your moves," sneered the chu. The Charmander scratched it across the muzzle, and Pikachu yelped.

"Not my fault she's a dumb bitch," snarled the Charmander; desperately attempting to defeat the Pikachu. She hadn't won a single battle, and so she hadn't grown a single level. Therefore; she knew no offensive moves other than Scratch.

"C'mon you worthless lizard!" screeched her frustrated trainer, Connie.

The Pikachu began a Thundershock attack, and the Charmander dove; hiding behind her trainer. The weak jolt of electricity made the red-head screech, and she stumbled backwards. Infuriated by her lack of progress as a trainer, Connie kicked the Charmander in the side. It yelped, and went flying through the air.

She slammed into the Pikachu; her tail flame grazing its shoulder as they toppled head-over-heel. The Pikachu came out on top, and growled as it pinned the weary Charmander to the ground. With every last scrap of its energy, it clawed the Charmander, and then gave one last jolt of electricity before backing away; panting.

The Charmander looked up with pleading eyes, and then slumped to the ground; going completely limp as her consciousness faded. The Pikachu whooshed out a breath of relief; he had triumphed. His smirk faded as the Poke Ball slammed into his side; absorbing him into it, and then pinging as he gave up the fight for his freedom.

Connie squealed in delight, and giggled as the ball flew back into her palm. She kissed it, and then clipped it onto her belt.

_Not only is this one cute, but it's _actually_ a good fighter. _

As soon as she thought this, her eyes fell upon the motionless orange lump on the path before her. Connie sighed and strolled over to the unconscious Charmander. It was laying face down in the sod; and its normally erect tail now lay limp. Her tail flame, however, continued to burn brightly.

Connie prodded it with the toe of her shoe, and then kicked it over onto its back. When it made no move to protest, she looked around to see if anyone was nearby, and then hurriedly continued down the path.

Perhaps she was truly insipid enough to believe that her Charmander was dead. Perhaps she figured it was just better off in the wild. But as she turned her back on it that late summer evening, one thing was certain:

she was happy she would never have to deal with it again.

* * *

Hands shoved in his pockets, he continued down the path; whistling. It was dusk; his favorite time of the night. The world was beginning to quiet down, and his workload slowed down long enough he could go for his walk. As the light of day continued to fade, Oak thought he saw a flash of light. Curious as to what it was, he began to amble his way over to it.

A dimmed flame, perched on a slender orange tail, caught his eye, and his jovial expression faded with the dusk. He moved quickly for a man in his mid-sixties, and scooped the fainted Charmander up into his arms. Cradling her like a baby, and yet careful to avoid touching her tail-flame, Oak swiftly jogged back to his lab.

He pushed open the door with his free arm, and flipped on the lights. He gently lay her on his table, and called the Pokemon Center in Viridian City. As he explained his situation to the Nurse Joy, he twirled the phone cord around his fingers anxiously.

_Stupid little brat, I should have known she wasn't going to treat the Charmander right..._

"Professor," chided a clear voice over the line, snapping him back to reality.

Oak rubbed his temples, and then turned away from the injured Charmander so he could focus.

"My apologies, Nurse Joy. Would you mind running that by me again?"

"I said that we can't come down to the lab today, Professor. We're jammed full with emergencies. You know how it is when the new trainers begin travel..." she trailed off, and Oak heard her yell something at an orderly.

He cleared his throat into the mouthpiece, "I'll find my own way to Viridian. Good luck-" he heard a crashing sound in the background, and then the line went dead with an audible _click, _"sounds as if you'll need it."

He chewed on his lip as he wrapped the Charmander in a towel; keeping her flame exposed, and then headed out the door of his lab without bothering to lock it. His house was a short walk away, and when he reached it he opened the garage door.

The rusted old pickup truck was dusty, and Oak was worried it wouldn't start for him. It had been many years since he had last driven somewhere, after all. But when he cranked the key, the old truck sputtered, coughed, and wheezed to life. The dashboard lights flickered on, and a sappy old love song came in on the radio.

The Pokemon Professor muted it, and then pulled away from the garage. His gaze fell on the motionless form in the seat beside him, and he pulled the towel away. Her sides were faintly rising and falling, and Oak breathed a sigh of relief.

He steadied the steering wheel as the rickety old truck hit a bump, and then returned his attention to the Charmander. She was covered in small abrasions, and her golden-orange skin had purplish splotches covering it. Oak sucked in his breath, and then pressed his foot down harder on the accelerator.

The sooner they got to Viridian, the better.

~o0o~

Her eyes fluttered open, and she was rather surprised by the blank white wall she was staring at. She tried to sit up, but she only managed to turn her head. She heard a bleeping sound, and uttered a small cry of confusion. A form stirred, and then yawned. Oak rose stiffly to his feet, and then ambled over to the Charmander.

"Ah, feeling better, are we?"

The Charmander recognized the elderly man, and nodded quickly in affirmation.

"I thought as much. Would you like anything to eat, Charmander?"

She shook her head; her stomach feeling much too queasy for food. "Where's Connie? And do I _have_ to travel with that stupid bitch?"

Of course, all the Professor heard was a repetition of her species name, but he seemed to get the idea. "You're coming back to the lab with me, little girl. I'll take good care of you."

She eyed his outstretched hand warily; taking note of every crease and wrinkle, before finally giving him her paw.

* * *

He clicked off the videophone chat, and sadly looked to the Charmander that was curled up on his desk next to him.

_This is for her own good,_ he told himself as he prepared a Poke Ball for her.

He nudged her awake, and she stretched and yawned drowsily.

"How would you like to go on a journey, with a more responsible, caring trainer?" he asked her slowly.

Doubt clouded her eyes, but she had always been able to trust him. Still... she was hesitant.

Oak noticed this, and sighed, "I think you would enjoy yourself. Traveling with a Pokemon is a remarkable experience... you wouldn't want to miss out on that opportunity, now would you?"

She shook her head, and then smiled at him. Oak patted her on the head, and then set the Poke Ball down in front of her. She hesitated, and then glanced up at him once more.

He nodded, and she pressed the button; sealing her fate.

* * *

**A/N: Wow... I didn't enjoy writing this one at all. It was hard to follow up Kenya's, which is the best thing I've ever written. Oh well; hope you can look past this mediocre writing and keep in mind the better things...**

**~Shelby  
**


End file.
